3. LIGHT THE GRILL

So you picked out a grill, brought it home from the store, it's sitting in a cardboard box in the driveway, and your guests are getting hungry and throwing raw meat at you. A subtle hint that it's time to light up the barbecue. Each barbecue has its own method of ignition:

Charcoal
Gas
Portable

Charcoal

  1. Make sure you have a bag of charcoal briquettes on hand. You also need a can of lighter fluid and some fireplace matches (though we recommend one of those long-necked butane lighters made especially for barbecues).

  2. Place the charcoal in a pyramid shape in the center of the grill.

  3. Douse the charcoal evenly with lighter fluid (usually about ½ cup of fluid for every 2 pounds of charcoal, but check the instructions on the bag).

  4. Let the lighter fluid soak in for a minute or two, as you tie on your apron.

  5. Put on your bravest face and put a flame to those coals. You won't see flames jumping out, but you should see smoke.

  6. Allow the briquettes to burn for a half an hour or so until they are covered with a white-ish ash. The ash means that the coals are burning.

  7. Spread the coals evenly over the bottom of the barbecue.

  8. Turn the coals using long tongs periodically while you're cooking.

  9. If you have trouble starting the fire, you can try to help it along by placing newspaper in the grill. Not a lot, but just enough to start the fire.

  10. NEVER spray lighter fluid on a barbecue that already has a fire going. The fire could travel up your spray-stream and set your body on fire. That would hurt.

Gas

  1. Always make sure your grill is placed in a well-ventilated area. Never attempt to barbecue while inside a closed area like a garage or shed. Make sure your grill is out in the open, away from the house and out of the danger of low hanging tree branches. This is for obvious reasons.

  2. Make sure the propane tank is full. This will prevent any embarrassing situations like having to leave your guests and a half- cooked meal on the grill while you run to have your tank refilled.

  3. Make sure there are no gas leaks. To test this, light the grill and turn the control knob to "high." The height of the flame will give you a good sense that the gas tank, regulator and grill fittings are properly secure and thus, that there are no leaks. A very low flame is usually indicative that there is a leak. If this happens, sometimes it takes a simple adjustment like tightening the fittings. Always refer to the owner's manual that came with your grill for information on fixing leaks.

  4. Turn the gas on by flicking a switch or twisting a dial, and baby, you've got flame! Or, in the case of some less expensive or older models, it may be necessary to start the gas and then light a match. But either way it's pretty easy.

  5. Once the grill has been lit, turn the control knob to "high" and close the cover. This is known as "preheating" the grill, and will cook the food better when the time comes.

  6. Some grills have a built-in temperature gauge. When the gauge reaches "medium," you're ready to cook.

  7. If you're not lucky enough to have a temperature gauge, just light your grill and cover it for about 8 to 10 minutes.

  8. Here's how you know when the fire is just right for cooking: It's ready when you can hold your hand 4 inches from the heat for 3 seconds before pulling it away. Although this method may seem rather sadistic, it's a tried-and-true technique for measuring the heat. Don't be stupid a try to keep your hand there for 3 seconds, even if your hand is on fire.

Portable

  • For hibachis, simply follow the instructions for a charcoal grill. Only use less charcoal.

  • For electric grills, plug it in and turn it on. We hope you can handle it.